Locking devices for straps



Oct. 31, 1967 v, CATT 3,349,450

LOCKING DEVICES FOR STRAPS Filed Feb. 5, 1966 INVENTOR Jean Victor Cam'n y s i i 4 ATTO R N EYS United States Patent Ofiice ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A locking device for connecting together the ends of a strap, such as for instance watch bracelets, collars, belts and the like, comprising a plate-shaped cover member linked to a plate-shaped bottom member with notch means for receiving projections of the one strap and.

The present invention relates to a locking device for straps having two ends to be joined, particularly watch bracelets, collars, belts and the like, comprising a substantially flat member having means for securement to one strap end so as to project therefrom in the plane thereof, a cover, said member consisting of a plate provided on each side, in a direction transverse to the length of the strap, with a perpendicular flange having a plurality of L-shaped notches, the horizontal arms of said notches extending towards the free end of said member, said cover being hinged on said member near the place where the latter is secured to said one strap end, the other strap end carrying two lateral projections adapted to engage said notches, the said cover being arranged in such a manner that it may be brought down onto said member and is then elastically maintained in this position in order to prevent an undesired opening of the locking device.

The accompanying drawing illustrates, by way of example, one embodiment of the locking device according to the invention, provided on a strap in the shape of a belt or a watch bracelet made of leather or plastics.

FIG. 1 is a perspective representation of the two end portions of the strap, the locking device being in open condition.

FIG. 2 is a section of the locking device in the closed condition, at an enlarged scale, along a line passing through the two lateral projections of the second strap end.

FIG. 3 is a section, at a still more enlarged scale, of a detail.

The locking device for straps illustrated in the drawing comprises a substantially flat member 1 secured to one strap end 2 so as to project therefrom in the plane thereof. The member 1 consists of a slightly in-curved plate, provided on each side, in a direction transverse to the length of the strap, with a perpendicular flange 3 having a plurality of equidistant L-shaped notches, the horizontal arms of said notches extending towards the free end of the member 1 (towards the left in FIG. 1). A cover 5 is hinged on the member 1 near the place where the latter is secured to the strap end 2. The cover 5 has a portion 6, 6' folded on itself so as to form a tube or hollow cylinder, which is freely traversed by a pin 7 secured in the flanges 3 of the member 1, this allowing the cover 5 to be rotated about the pin 7. The portion 6 of the cover 5, situated in the center of the portion 6, is embossed or bruised as shown in FIG. 1 and is adapted to cooperate with a 3,349,450 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 springy tongue 9, cut out from the member 1. Therefore, when the cover 5 is brought down onto the member 1, the portion 6 first deforms the tongue 9 and presses it downwards, but afterwards it is the tongue 9 that acts onto the portion 6' and promotes the closing of the cover 5. Therefore, there is a neutral position for an intermediate, half-closed position of the cover 5, in which the tongue 9 is at most deformed. In a modified embodiment (not shown), the action of the tongue 9 might be reinforced by a leaf spring secured to the plate 1 near the free end thereof. The cover 5 has on each side, in a direction transverse to the length of the strap, a flange 10. As clearly shown on FIG. 2, these flanges 10 are slightly bent so as to be somewhat more spaced apart from each other at their free ends.

Near the free end of the member 1, the flanges 3 each have a boss 11 extending towards the outside, obtained by a swaging operation. The flanges 10 of the cover 5 each have a corresponding boss 12, adapted to cooperate with the boss 11 (FIGS. 1 and 3).

The other strap end 13 carries two lateral projections 14 adapted to engage the notches 4 of the member 1.

For closing the strap by means of the locking device illustrated and described, the end portions 2 and 13 of the strap are brought into the position shown in FIG. 1 and the projections 14 are inserted in a pair of notches 4 of the member 1. In the example illustrated, four different positions may be chosen, which correspond to four different adjustments of the length of the strap. As soon as the projections 14 have engaged the notches 4, the traction acting on the strap causes the projections 14 to slip into the lower portion of the notches, towards the left in FIG. 1. This lower portion of the notches 4, forming the horizontal arm of the L, guarantees a good keeping in place of the projections 14. The cover 5 is then brought down onto the member 1, until the bosses 12 cover the bosses 11 of the flanges 3 of the member 1. Due to this engagement, the cover 5 is elastically maintained in this closing position and prevents an undesired opening of the locking device. FIG. 2 shows that the flanges 10 of the cover 5 conceal the notches 4. The widened out portion of the flanges It) aims at leaving the place necessary for the projections 14, which slightly project from the flanges 3 of the member 1.

-It will be noted that the strap end 13 carries only two projections 14. It can, therefore, be made with a constant width, which has the advantage that for any adjustment position of the locking device, i.e. for any pair of notches 4 engaged by the projections 14, the strap has its normal width in the close vicinity of the locking device, thus giving to the assembly a neat and clean appearance.

The lower portion of the notches 4 acts as a safety locking device. Even if the cover 5 is totally opened, the strap will still be maintained. It must be pushed back in order to be liberated from the notches 4.

While I have described and illustrated one embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to unnecessarily limit the scope thereof, but reserve the right to make such modifications and rearrangements of the several parts as may come within the purview of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a locking device for connecting together the ends of a strap, a plate-shaped bottom member to be fixed to the one strap end, said bottom member having a leaf spring and, on opposite edges, flanges comprising notch means for receiving projections of the other strap end, a plate-shaped cover member to be approached to or moved away from said bottom member, hinge means connecting said cover member with said bottom member, said hinge means comprising, a tubular member rigidly connected with said cover member, a stop means mounted on said cover member within reach of said hinge means, a pin carried by said flanges and going through said tubular member, said stop means supported on said leaf spring to allow said leaf spring, from a neutral position of said stop means with regard to said leaf spring, to either approach said cover member towards said bottom member or to swing said cover member away from said bottom member into a stable opened position.

2. In a locking device according to claim 1, said stop means formed by a stamped-out portion of said tubular member.

3. In a locking device according to claim 1, snap means at the end of said bottom and cover members turned away from said hinge means.

4. In a locking device according to claim 2, snap means at the end of said bottom and cover members turned away from said hinge means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,527,040 2/ 1925 Garrison 24233 1,591,295 7/ 1926 Donaldson 24206.2 2,444,360 6/ 1948 Mauch. 2,453,993 11/ 1948 Kreisler 24-233 FOREIGN PATENTS 494,909 3/ 1930 Germany.

305,192 6/ 1929 Great Britain.

214,449 8/ 1941 Switzerland.

260,678 7/ 1949 Switzerland.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A LOCKING DEVICE FOR CONNECTING TOGETHER THE ENDS OF A STRAP, A PLATE-SHAPED BOTTOM MEMBER TO BE FIXED TO THE ONE STRAP END, SAID BOTTOM MEMBER HAVING A LEAF SPRING AND, ON OPPOSITE EDGES, FLANGES COMPRISING NOTCH MEANS FOR RECEIVING PROJECTIONS OF THE OTHER STRAP END, A PLATE-SHAPED COVER MEMBER TO BE APPROACHED TO OR MOVED AWAY FROM SAID BOTTOM MEMBER, HINGE MEANS CONNECTING SAID COVER MEMBER WITH SAID BOTTOM MEMBER, SAID HINGE MEANS COMPRISING, A TUBULAR MEMBER RIGIDLY CONNECTED WITH SAID COVER MEMBER, A STOP MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID COVER MEMBER WITHIN REACH OF SAID HINGE MEANS, A PIN CARRIED BY SAID FLANGES AND GOING THROUGH SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID STOP MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID LEAF SPRING TO ALLOW SAID LEAF SPRING, FROM A NEUTRAL POSITION OF SAID STOP MEANS WITH REGARD TO SAID LEAF SPRING, TO EITHER APPROACH SAID COVER MEMBER TOWARDS SAID BOTTOM MEMBER OR TO SWING SAID COVER MEMBER AWAY FROM SAID BOTTOM MEMBER INTO A STABLE OPENED POSITION. 